Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveVinusha MK: The little entrepreneur’s sweet and savoury journey of Four Seasons Pastry

Vinusha MK: The little entrepreneur’s sweet and savoury journey of Four Seasons Pastry

Written by: Amrita Priya

(November 22, 2022) When as a nine-year-old, Vinusha MK, was seeking an internship in baking and approached hotels and bakeries, she was turned down by all, owing to her age. It was Nina Reddy, joint managing director of Savera Hotel, the oldest four-star hotel in Chennai who recognised the passion and talent in the kid and agreed to her request.

Now at 12, Chennai girl, Vinusha has been an entrepreneur for the last three years, running her business venture, Four Seasons Pastry profitably, selling 5000+ cupcakes, and other confectionery until now.

Vinusha MK

It was in 2019 that she established her business, and since then the young entrepreneur has not looked back. Such is the expertise that she has developed in both baking and entrepreneurship that the class seven student gets invited to address college students who are much older than her. “I have recently been to Vellore Institute of Technology and PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore to address food technology and retail management students,” she tells Global Indian.

Vinusha during a talk at VIT

The journey of baking

Talking about how it all began, Vinusha remarks, “A few years ago I had developed a keen interest in watching videos on baking and one day on my mother’s birthday tried making a cake in a pressure cooker. Surprisingly, it turned out well.” This successful experiment in the kitchen built great confidence in her to do more such experiments. “I got so obsessed with it that I started constantly thinking and talking about baking. That’s when my parents bought me an oven and enrolled me in a baking class,” she says.

Cupcakes made by Vinusha

The youngest learner in the batch of her baking class learned the craft amidst much older batch mates, either newly married women or young professionals. However, after the short course ended, Vinusha’s urge to learn more surfaced. She approached multiple hotels and bakeries for an internship in baking but got turned down by all. “They thought I was too small for it.”

Luck prevailed

During one of the festive carnivals where the little baker had set up a stall to sell her goods, she got an opportunity to meet Savera Hotel’s, Nina Reddy. This proved to be a turning point in her entrepreneurial journey. So impressed was Nina with Vinusha’s efforts that she readily agreed to the little girl’s request for an internship in the kitchen of her hotel.

Vinusha with Nina Reddy, joint managing director of Savera Hotel, Chennai

“It was a great opportunity for me,” The kitchen of the magnificent hotel opened up horizons for Vinusha. “The majority of knowledge that I have acquired about baking is thankfully because of the opportunity to learn in Savera’s Kitchen,” tells she.

Stepping into the entrepreneur’s shoes

Vinusha wanted to take her passion for baking even further. “I was always fascinated by the word ‘entrepreneur’ and wanted to know all about it so that I can be one myself.” Her chemical engineer father and homemaker mother proved supportive once again.

“My parents took me to an entrepreneurs’ workshop where I met lots of entrepreneurs Their stories and ideas were so inspiring that I wanted to plunge into entrepreneurship instantly,” says the student of Ology Tech School.

Vinusha during an internship at Winner’s Bakery

Shortly after, the then-nine-year-old Vinusha launched Four Seasons Pastry in 2019. Since then, she has been steadily catering to orders of customized cakes, cupcakes, brownies, blondies, and chocolates. Her clients place the order either through her website or social media handles, and the products are delivered to their homes.

Though baking is solely handled by Vinusha, it’s only when she is hard-pressed for the time that her mother chips in to help. “Diwali and Christmas are the period of maximum business for us. Other than selling confectionaries, I hold workshops for those who want to learn how to bake,” she says.

Diversifying the business

The young entrepreneur also sells baking kits. “My ‘Do it Yourself Baking Kits’ are for youngsters in the age group of seven to 14 who want to bake independently.’ It contains all the ingredients in the right measurement so that kids can make cupcakes, blondies, and cookies without compromising on the taste.

The kit contains recipes and useful information about the science of baking along with the ingredients.

Vinusha with her ‘Do it Yourself’ baking kit

While Vinusha’s baking kits can be delivered across India, her chocolates are available within Tamil Nādu, and cakes, pastries, and cupcakes orders are catered across Chennai. Her mother who ran a play school earlier has shut it down to manage Vinusha’s entrepreneurial goals and busy schedule, accompanying her to all the venues to which she is invited as a trainer or guest speaker.

“Social media helped us a lot in connecting to people. All the clientele I have got is purely organic, there have been no investments in marketing so far,” she informs.

Powerful inspirations and big dreams

The budding entrepreneur talks about a whole list of people who inspire her. From CK Ranganathan the Founder Chairman of CavinKare, Zoho founder, Sridhar Vembu, and Suresh Sambandam, founder of Kissflow to Thyrocare founder Arokiaswamy Velumani, Vinusha ardently follows their leadership mantras. ‘Despite being super successful they are mostly down-to-earth people and this is what I like about them,” she says.

The young entrepreneur has got immense support from Geetanjali Sasikumar, director of Ology Tech School, who has even offered her the opportunity of scholarship to study in the school.

‘I want to make my brand bigger in the future,” tells the multi-tasker who manages her studies and her business venture by meticulously dedicating time to both. When it comes to her personal favorites, it’s all about chocolate. “I love my brownies, chocolate cupcakes, and Choco-lava cake the most,” she says.

Follow Vinusha MK on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram

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Rishika Mehra

June 1, 2024 9:32 pm

Hii
Can you please give your idea ?

Vanshika

June 21, 2024 8:27 pm

~~good job~~

Published on 22, Nov 2022

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Laalitya Acharya: The Indian American raising awareness on global water crisis

(October 16, 2022) A family trip to India was nothing short of an eye-opener for the Ohio girl Laalitya Acharya, who was a witness to the glaring water gap and the lack of access to clean drinking water and its implications. Seeing the damaging impact of contaminated water on health - leading to stomach flu and other ailments - made her dig deep into the statistics. In 2017, nearly 75 million people in India had no access to safe water. The startling numbers made her think hard, but after she fell ill from consuming contaminated water despite taking precautions, Laalitya knew it was time to make a change. "When I returned home, I found that this is a global crisis that affects billions all across the world. I decided that I wanted to find a solution to this problem and thus the foundations for The Nereid Project were born," the changemaker tells Global Indian. Nereid - a low-cost device that can detect water contamination within seconds using Artificial Intelligence - made Laalitya bag the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes recently, for making a positive impact in people's lives and communities. In the last few years, the Nereid Project has

aking a positive impact in people's lives and communities. In the last few years, the Nereid Project has grown by leaps and bounds, and Laalitya calls it an organisation that "aims to raise awareness for the water crisis through research, advocacy, and policy." They are now working on implementing Nereid in Ohio, India, and Morocco.

[caption id="attachment_23046" align="aligncenter" width="415"] Laalitya Acharya developed Nereid[/caption]

Foundation laid by curiosity

While Nereid has put this Indian-American teen on the global map, Laalitya's interest in technology and science began at a tender age. The Bengaluru-born grew up in a suburb of Ohio after her parents moved to the US in search of better opportunities. Being a first-generation Indian American, "the importance of education was constantly emphasised," and she naturally gravitated toward scientific experimentation. It was in high school that her passion flourished as she found herself participating in scientific research and science fairs. "My high school did not have a traditional research program, so I decided to do 'at-home' independent research instead. This was where the basis of my research, Nereid, began," the changemaker reveals.

It was creative thinking that led her to explore scientific research, something she calls "crucial" to her journey. While most think science and creativity are separate entities, Laalitya begs to differ. "People tend to believe that science is not for the creative but I could not think that falser. All of the research and novel developments that we have, are born out of creativity, not in spite. The Nereid device, for example, utilises an intersection of biology, computational science, and artificial intelligence - it required unique thinking to create a unique solution," she elucidates.

[caption id="attachment_23047" align="aligncenter" width="501"] Laalitya Acharya recently won the Gloria Barron Award for Young Heroes[/caption]

Making an impact with Nereid

So, what exactly is Nereid? It's a portable device that works as a microscopic camera that takes images of a water sample which are then analysed using AI technology to determine if it's safe or contaminated, thus helping to alleviate the global water crisis. Such is the feasibility of the device that it can be easily integrated into a water system. "The coming months will help me to gather real-world data to hopefully implement Nereid globally," adds the changemaker. Not just this, the Nereid Project also expands to hosting STEM education programs and water summits which "are conferences centred around ways each of us can mitigate the global water gap." Along with it, they are working to use the legislative arm of policy to ensure access to this global necessity for all.

A STEM champion

Laalitya, who is currently majoring in biomedical engineering at Columbia University, is keen to work at the "intersection of STEM and public policy" to create legislative changes that incorporate science-based solutions. A STEM champion, she calls it the need of the hour to solve issues such as climate change or reform US healthcare. The 19-year-old is happy to see girls "crushing the game" in STEM. "The growth that I have seen even in my career of the science fair, and research has truly shown the power of women in science. I've also worked to create educational programs for young girls interested in science through The Nereid Project. Seeing their excitement and being able to support them on their STEM journeys has always been immensely gratifying for me," adds Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021 finalist.

The young changemaker is taking baby steps to cause a tectonic shift in the world through her work, and is keen to see "a world where people have access to their basic human rights and necessities." Knowing that the world is in crisis right now, she says, "it is our job to fix it."

[caption id="attachment_23048" align="aligncenter" width="625"] Laalitya Acharya with US Senator Chuck Schumer of New York[/caption]

"The United Nations defined their Sustainable Goals (SDG)s as due in 2030. We are less than 8 years away from this and I truly hope that we can continue our exponential growth in solving these global crises. I am doing my part to close the water gap and I aim to help the UN reach SDG #6 (which regards clean water access)," adds the changemaker, who was a Casework Intern for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in May where she worked with the constituents of New York to resolve any issues they were facing.

Challenges and learnings

However, this journey came with its share of challenges, and COVID was especially a tough time. But Laalitya was able to see a silver lining in each of her difficulties. "A lot of what The Nereid Project did was dependent on in-person camps/summits. Overnight, this changed and we were forced to move to a virtual format instead. But this shift led us to engage with more people outside of my local area. We worked with students from across the world and helped them kickstart their scientific journeys. Today, in a post-pandemic world, we have decided to keep our online format and return to in-person events - thus allowing us to expand our reach," the changemaker says.

A voracious reader, she loves to devour historical fiction and memoirs. "I also play the violin and run as I find both activities to be very soothing. It helps me to take care of my body and mind which is crucial in this line of work," says the changemaker.

[caption id="attachment_23049" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Laalitya Acharya encourages kids in the space of STEM[/caption]

The last few years have been a learning curve for Laalitya as she extends some pieces of advice to youngsters looking to make an impact. "It's okay to be a one-person-show," she suggests, adding, "It can be super scary to put yourself out there as an 'organisation' when it's just you wearing 5 different hats at the same time. But in reality, we all start small, and even the smallest changes can cause a ripple effect." However, she emphasises the importance of finding one's niche. "Go narrow and deep. Delve into a few sectors that you are particularly fond of and then you can expand as you grow," adds Laalitya, who believes in building a network and finding a community - in terms of family, mentors, friends, advocates, and or organisations. But her biggest learning was understanding that the way to a 'yes' is through many 'no'. "You will face negative comments, criticism, and other not-so-fun conversations on your journey. But the best way to think about it is that every 'no' gets you closer to a 'yes'," signs off Laalitya.

Follow Laalitya Acharya on Linkedin and her website

Reading Time: 6 min

Rhodes Scholar Swathi Srinivasan: Cancer survivor and health equity advocate

(October 1, 2024) "Find out what you care about and then see what questions you can ask about it." Rhodes scholar Swathi Srinivasan is a great believer in pursuing the things one is truly passionate about - that's why she's able to put so much on her plate. She had a patent by the time she finished high school, did a double major at Harvard University and was selected as a Rhodes Scholar 2021. Swathi also has a slew of recognition to her credit - she is a 2016 Melvyn Scholar, a Science Day alumna and an AJAS scholar too. Ever since she began her research work in high school, Swathi has gone on to work for UNAIDS in Geneva to understand the work being done to address HIV at an international level. She is part of the policy programme at the Harvard Kennedy School and has travelled the world for research on global healthcare for HIV/ AIDS, the opioid crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic and has also worked with the government of Massachusetts. Swathi was raised in an exceptionally well-educated and accomplished household. Her mother, Rekha, arrived in the US over two decades ago, after her wedding to Swathi's

wedding to Swathi's dad. She earned a PhD in the US and began teaching organic chemistry. Rekha is also a Fulbright scholar - in 2019 and 2020, she came to India and Nepal to offer STEM workshops across the two countries. Swathi's dad, a biomedical engineer, is credited with creating an improved incubator, among other paediatric devices.

[caption id="attachment_39659" align="aligncenter" width="251"] Rhodes scholar Swathi Srinivasan[/caption]

Battling the emperor of maladies

It's the sort of atmosphere, one imagines, that would have given the young Swathi a leg-up like no other. The accomplished Rhodes scholar, however, has faced more than her fair share of challenges. In late 2019, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a fairly aggressive cancer that attacks the lymph nodes and immune system. "I would ride my bike to chemotherapy everyday," she says, recalling her daily six-mile trip to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. She would ride in sunshine, rain and snow, despite having lost her hair. She managed all this without missing a single class.

Instead of lamenting her lot in life, Swathi used even this time to ponder the struggles of global healthcare, especially among the marginalised. "I was thinking of the side effects of chemotherapy, which is a really big issue too and matter differently to different people. I'm in school, I can take a day off when I feel nauseous but a single parent can't do that, can they? They have to show up at work no matter what." She could ride her bike to the hospital but wondered "how other people do it, if they live further away from the hospital and don't have a car. I was back to the question of inequality and this time around, I was a lot more connected to it." It inspired her to go back to the lab, to work on a form of chemotherapy that reduces side effects.

A low-cost incubator

Growing up, Swathi was always encouraged to pursue her interests, which were quite varied. When she wanted to be a fashion designer, her mom bought her a sewing machine. When she wanted to make jewellery, her mother helped her buy gemstones online. If she wanted to conduct an experiment, her mother would bring home the ingredients she needed. As for Swathi, she gives full credit to her parents and her mentors and its eager, she says, "to pay it forward." Her mother would take her to the lab when she was still a toddler and she had observed her father working. And when she still in high school, she had devised her own incubator.

"I burnt my hand on a resistor in the Physics lab one day," Swathi said. "And I was like, this device is pretty cool. So I created a grid of resistors and made a heating pad." She was inspired by her father's work but the incubators he created were very expensive, Swathi wanted accessibility. She discovered the MIT Think initiative for high school students and applied, even though she wasn't affiliated with a lab at the time. "I had no mentors or a lab to support me but I needed the money and said so. They said 'sure'," she recalls. "They brought me to MIT and I met all these crazy scientists doing amazing work. I even met a scientist I had cited in my bibliography." Her prototype involves a secondary heating mechanism embedded into a gel-based incubator, which keeps the gel hot for more than 30 hours.

Harvard calling

Unsurprisingly, Swathi graduated from high school and went to Harvard University with stars in her eyes, intent on becoming a neurosurgeon, with a special interest in the prevalence and treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. As she sat in class, she wondered - say there was a breakthrough in a cure. Would everyone with the disease have access to treatment? The answer was simple: no. Swathi found herself more intrigued by this question than the one she had intended to ask in the laboratory. She switched her major to public health, studying a double major in Economics, Sociology, Philosophy and History.

Here, Swathi's focus remained on studying public health epidemics and her thesis was on the impact of inequality on HIV/AIDS and the Covid-19 pandemic. She also did a minor in chemistry, which she uses to formulate her chemotherapy research. She was in an atmosphere where her talent and academic rigour were matched by her peers. "Some of my peers were featured in Forbes 30 Under 30," Swathi remarked. "They have published multiple papers, were ballet dancers in national companies... this naturally gets in your head and requires some adjusting."

The Rhodes scholarship

A highly-rigorous selection process precedes the Rhodes scholarship. For Swathi, it involved eight letters of recommendation and a letter of endorsement from her university, which put her against 125 applicants. Harvard selected 45 and she was among them, going on to become one of the 32 scholars selected from the United States. Every year, 100 students are selected to join the world's academic elite at Oxford Universiy, as the Rhodes Scholars for the year. In her personal essay, she talked about her own life and her roots, and how she saw poverty in India. "I actually woke up one morning and it showed up on my Facebook feed on US News, Yahoo and AP," she said in an interview.

Now at Oxford University, the Global Indian's purpose has not changed, she lives by the same lessons she earned from hermother. "We have gotten to where we are because so many people have lifted us up," she said. "Therefore, it's our job to lift up others."

Follow Swathi, a Rhodes scholar on LinkedIn

Entrepreneur Alishba Imran is engineering a better tomorrow for all

(May 7, 2024) Growing up in Toronto, Alishba Imran carved a space for herself in the world of machine learning, robotics, and blockchain at the very young age of 18. About four years back, Alishba, who had zero knowledge about programming or coding back then, enrolled herself to join her school’s robotics team. While she faced several issues, her focus on learning, earned her the position of the lead programmer on the team. And there has been no turning back since then. A few years after this incident, while on a service trip in India, the entrepreneur learned about the lack of medication in various rural parts of the country. To come up with a solution for this, Alishba taught herself blockchain coding and launched Honestblocks, a platform that tracks counterfeit medicine in the supply chain. Her codebase for the initiative has since been integrated into IBM and used globally. She then co-founded Voltx to accelerate the development of renewable energy storage devices using machine learning and physics models to accelerate the lab to commercialisation process for electrochemical devices. “The biggest thing you can optimise for in life is people. Spend time exploring your interests, what you’re good at, and

2024/05/ALishba_BAIR.jpg" alt="Entrepreneur | Alishba Imran | Global Indian" width="552" height="368" />

“The biggest thing you can optimise for in life is people. Spend time exploring your interests, what you’re good at, and what brings you energy. I think the best things to work on are at the intersection of what you're good at, what you enjoy, and are a way for you to create value for the world," explained the Global Indian, who was recently named among Teen Vogue’s annual 21 Under 21 list of “changemakers, influencers, activists, and artists who have made a substantial impact in both their communities and the world.”

Making a difference

Born in a desi family, Alishba has always been connected to her roots. A brilliant student, the entrepreneur launched an app that uses blockchain to improve supply chain transparency to end counterfeit medication in developing countries when she was just 14. "As a child, I was always very curious and asked a lot of questions about how things work. From appliances around the house to vehicles and computers. At a young age, I found engineering and computer science very interesting because of how it technically challenged me and the vast applications to solve tangible problems," the entrepreneur shared, "In middle school, I learned how to code and was one of the first girls to join the robotics team. That was really my first glimpse into learning about building something real. I was really excited because I would travel to global competitions to meet other people from different countries who were just as interested in technology and engineering as me."

There are a lot of people in the tech industry trying to build the next big social media or note-taking app that will attract millions of dollars from big investors and bolster their company’s value," said the entrepreneur, adding, "But I don’t think the end goal of any company should be based on its monetary value, but rather the value it brings to society."

Addressing several major issues plaguing third-world countries, Alishba believes in using her skills to make a difference in society. "There are many urgent problems that need to be addressed in the world. The greatest challenges of our time — climate change, health care reform and finding ways to create sustainable energy sources. As young students and innovators, I think we have to continually ask ourselves: How do we put our talents and passions toward working on these hard problems?," she said, "Finding the answer to that question, personally, has been a great motivation for me to dive deeper into my interests. And that has been a journey that has taken me around the world."

Creating a better world

When she was just 17, Alishba founded her first company, Voltx, before which she worked with Tesla on research that could speed up the time it takes to manufacture battery cells using machine learning and physics models. "I moved to San Francisco to work full-time with my co-founder to find ways to scale the storage of batteries for solar panels and other applications, like electric vehicles (EV). I raised a pre-seed round of over $1 million for Voltx through venture capital investors. I am still continuing to build on this technology and research as a second-year student at Berkeley," said the entrepreneur, who was also named among the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada, in 2023.

[caption id="attachment_37640" align="aligncenter" width="555"] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recognised Alishba for her work[/caption]

Speaking about her current projects, the entrepreneur said, "I’m currently co-authoring a textbook for O’Reilly Media, Machine Learning for Robotics with my colleague PG Keerthana Gopalakrishnan. Our aim is to make more accessible the processes of using deep language learning models to build robotics that can change the way we live."

Follow Alishba Imran on her website

Reading Time: 5 mins

Chess prodigy Alana Meenakshi’s moves are to watch out for

(September 15, 2022) Alana Meenakshi Kolagatla was barely four when she first got the feel of the king, queen, rook, bishop, and pawn on the chess board. The child hardly had any understanding of the game, yet she was just about able to arrange the pieces in order. By the time she turned six, the chess prodigy began playing professionally. Success followed her everywhere ever since. Having won several locals, national and international championships — of which she admittedly has lost the count — Alana, now 11, has been making all the right moves. “I want to become a grandmaster as soon as possible," declares Alana Meenakshi, the World No.1 in the Under-11 girls' category, in an exclusive chat with Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_21903" align="aligncenter" width="483"] Kolagatla Alana Meenakshi, chess prodigy[/caption] Since 2018, Alana has taken the world of chess by storm with her consistent performance. She continued her winning streak with gold, silver, and bronze medals to the country's tally and went on to bag the Women Candidate Master (WCM) title when she played in Sri Lanka in 2018. “Sometimes when you're winning, you just feel you're winning and let go of it and end up losing the game

istent performance. She continued her winning streak with gold, silver, and bronze medals to the country's tally and went on to bag the Women Candidate Master (WCM) title when she played in Sri Lanka in 2018. “Sometimes when you're winning, you just feel you're winning and let go of it and end up losing the game or end up in a draw. I have never really kept track of how many games I won and lost,” informs the chess prodigy, who has travelled to Albania, China, Sri Lanka, Serbia, and Hungary among other countries for her tournaments, besides vacations. Her father, Madhu Kolagatla is a businessman, and her mother Dr Aparna Kolagatla is a scientist and a career counsellor.

A move in the right direction

The chess prodigy from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, who was also the world No 2 in the Under-10 category (December 2022) before she made it to the top, finds chess a very lonely game. “Sometimes you feel very bored, just like you're looking at 64 squares with 32 pieces. And if you don't enjoy what's going on, you don't understand what's going on,” says the chess mastermind. But at the end of the day, she says, the combinations and the tactics in the game are what draw her towards it. “People feel that chess is very hard to play and only smart people can play the game. But that's not true. If you play chess, you will become smarter. It's actually the opposite,” smiles the class VI student of Timpany school, Visakhapatanam.

[caption id="attachment_21904" align="aligncenter" width="616"] The young prodigy with all her medals and trophies[/caption]

Alana plays chess every day. “I need to work a lot to reach a certain level. I practice for about 8 hours a day. So usually it's like four to six hours coaching and then maybe two hours games and then two hours I work by myself,” informs Alana, who occasionally takes a break from the game when she is overstressed. When it comes to tournaments, her games last up to six hours.

So what does it take to become a professional chess player like her? “Hard work, talent, and seriousness. One should be willing to work a lot, even though sometimes it gets very stressful. Strategy and confidence will keep you going in the game,” feels this huge Potterhead, who has read all Harry Potter books.

She is now trying yoga and meditation to beat the stress. “My parents recommended it and though I am trying my best for the past few weeks, it feels boring sometimes,” she laughs. Before every tournament, she makes sure to check who she is playing against, prepare against them and make note of their weaknesses and strengths.

Alana’s achievements have made her parents and friends proud of her. “It feels great when family members and friends tell others that I am an international chess player and stuff like that. Parents, sometimes say I could have done better after a particular tournament,” says the prodigy, who lists her win in her first international chess in Sri Lanka as one of the major highlights of her journey so far.

Beyond the chequered world

Besides chess, Alana likes to play tennis. "I actually play tennis just for physical fitness, go swimming, and indulge in basketball once in a while," says Alana, who likes to watch all the action stuff on Netflix.

Ask her if she comes across children who love Chess, the Vizag girl feels that people should start playing chess because it develops intellectual skills, calculations, and quick reflexes. "People don't play chess because they think it's very hard and boring, but I don't think so. There are a few people who are interested in chess, who are around my age, plus or minus a few years, but many are not," says Alana, whose elder brother Dhruv is a tennis player.

What else does Alana like to do? "Fashion designing interests me but I am not very sure. I am still in VI grade so I have another three to four more years to decide," informs the champ, who like most kids her age, loves Dario for Wimpy Kid as well. She is a huge fan of Katy Perry, Dua Lipa, and Justin Bieber as well. Alana makes it a point to visit as many places as places while on a foreign trip. Recently, she was in Budapest where she visited the castle, Parliament, and many more places to understand its history and rich culture.

"Kids should do more something creative than just watching TV or spending time on mobile phones. They should go out and play or, try some arts and crafts. Maybe, they should try learning a new thing like chess," is her message to children her age.

Reading Time: 7 mins

Banita Sandhu: The British Indian star in season 3 of Bridgerton

(May 24, 2024) “So grateful to have had the opportunity to immerse myself in the Bridgerton universe, dressing up and joining the world of Julia Quinn’s incredible characters. Thank you, Netflix and Shondaland, for a wonderful experience that I will forever cherish,” British-Indian actress Banita Sandhu shared with her fans, announcing her Hollywood debut in the eagerly awaited third season of Netflix’s Bridgerton. The first episode of the Season 3 premiered this month, with Banita sharing the screen with British actors like Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan. Banita’s character, Miss Malhotra, introduces a fresh dynamic to the social scene of the show's fictional Regency-era London, challenging the established norms among its eligible bachelors. [caption id="attachment_37960" align="aligncenter" width="614"] Banita Sandhu on the sets of Bridgerton[/caption] Bridgerton, adapted from Julia Quinn's novels, has mesmerised audiences in all its seasons with its lavish production design, captivating storylines, and diverse casting bringing the story of the nobility of the early 1800s in London. From UK to India Banita Sandhu hails from Wales, UK. She began her acting journey on the local stages in the UK before getting an opportunity to play roles on the screen - in TV commercials and short films. The English

rton, adapted from Julia Quinn's novels, has mesmerised audiences in all its seasons with its lavish production design, captivating storylines, and diverse casting bringing the story of the nobility of the early 1800s in London.

From UK to India

Banita Sandhu hails from Wales, UK. She began her acting journey on the local stages in the UK before getting an opportunity to play roles on the screen - in TV commercials and short films. The English Literature student had started working in short films even before she turned 18, and later worked in ads for Vodafone India and Wrigleys. Very early on in her career, at the age of just 20, Banita got an opportunity to work in Bollywood.

It was while working for Wrigley’s ad which was being directed by Bollywood director Shoojit Sircar that she caught his attention and earned the Bollywood break.

The 26-year-old made her Indian cinema debut in 2018 in ‘October’, a Shoojit Sircar film opposite Varun Dhawan. She was a second-year student of English Literature at the King’s College, London at that time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vracgLyJwI

The following year Banita went on to star in a Tamil production ‘Adithya Varma’ (remake of Telugu film Arjun Reddy) and the sci-fi series for Netflix, ‘Pandora’. Banita also worked with singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh in his track ‘Jind Mahi’, a love ballad.

Acting across continents the British-Indian actress went on to work at the British Dark Comedy, ‘Eternal Beauty’, and later Shoojit Sircar’s historical drama ‘Sardar Udham’ starring Vicky Kaushal.

The India connection

“My grandparents came to Britain from Punjab, northern India, shortly after World War II. Both my parents were born here and my sister and I were raised in a middle-class existence in Caerleon,” Banita told BBC.

Although she grew up with an interest in acting, low representation of South Asians on screen in the UK made her ambitions seem unreal. Also, coming to terms with her cultural identity was challenging. There were very few Asian girls in her small town which predominantly had only white people. “I really struggled with my identity as a kid. I used to hate my skin colour and wished I was the blond girl who all the boys liked,” she said in an interview with the Guardian.

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India calling

Banita did not have any known relatives in India, nor had she travelled to the country before. However when an opportunity to work in Bollywood fell in her lap, she was more than happy. Working in Indian films helped her learn about her country of origin. “I loved learning more about the culture, my family’s lives, struggles and traditions,” she said.

In preparation for her debut in Bollywood, the UK-born actor, who could speak only a smattering of Punjabi, had to learn Hindi, and took lessons for a year before the filming began. It was a challenging task and she was nervous about her delivery in a new language, but luckily most of her lines were a hybrid of English and Hindi, and things went well.

Making strides in acting beyond boundaries

Since then, Banita has worked in many film projects across continents. Her recent film Mother Teresa and Me went to earn the Best Film Award at the Mirabile Dictu International Film Festival. Sardar Udham starring Vicky Kaushal has won awards in the categories of Best Hindi Film (feature), best cinematography, best audio, best costume design and best production design at the 69th National film awards held in 2023.

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Banita has several brand promotion projects in her kitty. She has wrapped up her work in India’s spy sequel ‘Our Agent 116’ before immersing herself in the world of Bridgerton in Hollywood. “Wish I could keep the costumes,” the actor joked, talking about the grandeur, glitz and glamour of the regency era that the historical romance series offers.

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